Effexor Lawsuit – Birth Defect Lawsuit

December 20, 2011

A recent study was published about the potential dangers of taking prescription drug Effexor during pregnancy. The study was conducted by the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) and was supported by funding from the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC). The need for this study was determined by the fact that so many pregnant mothers take antidepressants like Effexor during pregnancy and there was not much available information about Effexor at the time.

About Effexor

Effexor (Venlafaxine) was introduced to the market in 1994. It is considered a Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). Effexor is typically used to treat major anxiety disorders and depression. There is not a lot of information presently available about the side effects and complications of Effexor other than that it is a Pregnancy Category C drug, as noted by the Food and Drug Administration. Class C category drugs have shown adverse effects in clinical trials with animals, but there is presently not enough evidence from human trials. This could mean that there simply have not been any human tests, or that the tests have not shown adequate evidence.

Congenital Birth Defects

Congenital (present at birth) defects are a major problem in the United States, with 1 in every 33 babies being born with some type of birth defect. These birth defects greatly increase the risk of lifelong disabilities or even premature mortality.

The purpose of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) was to determine if the use of Effexor during pregnancy is associated with any specific birth defect or class of birth defects. The study is an on-going, case-control study of major birth defects. Currently they are collecting data from California, Utah, Texas, Iowa, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York.

The data gathered from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) suggests that there are associations between prenatal use of Effexor and certain birth defects. They declared that some of the observations might be chance findings and they suggest that more studies be conducted on the risk of Effexor and birth defects.

Effexor Lawsuit: Speak to an Attorney

Many new parents ask themselves what was the cause of my child’s birth defects? Did it happen during pregnancy? The antidepressant Effexor may be linked to causing the development of birth defects in unborn babies, infants, and children when their mothers took antidepressants while pregnant.

Our law firm is handling individual birth defect lawsuits against drug and pharmaceutical companies and currently accepting new Effexor cases across the nation. If your child was born with a birth injury that you believe may have been caused by taking an antidepressant like Effexor during pregnancy, then you should contact our law firm as soon as possible for a free confidential review of your potential birth defect lawsuit case. All cases are handled on a Contingency Fee Basis (no attorney’s fees or expenses charged unless we recover for you).

No Recovery - No Fee

Pay Nothing Unless We Win

Attorney David P. Willis is a nationally recognized Trial Lawyer with more than 36 years of fighting for his clients' rights. Mr. Willis is a former Briefing Attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas and he is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law since 1988.

"Through his many years of dedication and service to his clients, David Willis has been successful in forcing many billion dollar corporations to make major safety changes to their products and the ways they conduct business."